


Reading Socks

by Flyingintospace



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 13:45:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8210719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flyingintospace/pseuds/Flyingintospace
Summary: Patrick Kane begins reading books at night.





	

Someone on the team had convinced Pat that he didn't read enough, that reading was good for him, that it would apparently help him play hockey better.

Johnny wasn't quite sure how that assumption had become because honestly he had stopped listening to that insane conversation soon after it had started.

But Pat had believed it and every night, usually an hour before bed, he would dutifully pick up what ever best seller he was reading at the moment and engross himself in the book.

It wasn't that Johnny minded the reading, in fact he enjoyed the silence that accompanied the reading, it was the other things that were accompanying the reading that were beginning to confuse him.

First of all, Pat had been convinced that he needed to set up what he referred to as the reading station.

When Johnny had asked him why the couch wasn't good enough, Pat had went on a rant that Johnny didn't care to listen to again so Johnny had let it slide.

The "reading station" had included them going furniture shopping for an easy chair that was just the right amount of being plush and firm that you could stay curled up on it all day if you chose. It was large enough that Pat could curl up on it, it was big enough that they both could have curled up on it, but the thought of that was too coupley for Johnny's thoughts.

Of course the chair had led to plush throw pillows that ended up on the ground every time that Pat sat there, so Johnny didn't really get their purpose.

And a throw that was a red and black plaid and a fuzzy underside, that Johnny had to admit that was very warm, to sleep under. At least he had found so the couple times that he had fallen asleep on the chair.

After the chair a lamp had appeared behind it, apparently having a special bulb in it that would help with eyestrain. Johnny wasn't sure if this was the helpful advice of more of his team mates or if the sales people in the nearest department store had gotten in on the action.

But the lamp was now there.

The next thing to appear was a little table with a small shelf on the bottom for books showed up. He wasn't sure where it had come from or when, he was glad though that Pat had apparently decided to stop taking him furniture shopping.

Of course the table had lead to the idea that Pat should drink tea while he read.

Which is how Johnny stumbled upon a whole cabinet full of shiny tea tins one day. He had gaped at them, fancy script proclaiming flavours such as, Chocolate Mint Truffle Rooibos, Pear Carmel Truffle, and Organic Emerald Pearls, sitting next to more recognizable teas such as Earl Grey, Chamomile and peppermint, and Johnny was sure no one would ever be able to drink it all in a life time.

He had reached out to touch one, perhaps to see if they were actually real and not just some sort of figment, when of course they had all tumbled out of the cabinet. He managed to shove them all back in and shut the door, vowing to never open it again.

Of course later that night when Pat had went to make himself tea, Johnny made himself scarce when he heard he familiar clang of the tins hitting the floor.

Of course tea lead to things showing up in their kitchen. Strange things that some of which Johnny could only guess at their purpose.

And mugs.

Fancy handmade ceramic mugs, with fancy glazes and shapes and definitely were not supposed to be put in the dishwasher.

Johnny thought that he had handled most of this well from the reading station, to the throw pillows he often tripped over, to the cupboards full strange sound tea and mugs taking over the kitchen, kettles and teapots and other things no matter where he turned, to the books that were beginning to stack up all over the living room and in the bedroom.

But then came the final straw and he just couldn't keep quiet anymore.

Reading socks.

Reading.

Socks.

Johnny didn't get it.

Especially from Pat, who despite Johnny's insistence continued to wear shoes inside.

He did admit it took him a while to realize something strange was going on. But one night as he watched Pat go through his nightly routine of steeping tea and choosing which book he was going to read, he also watched Pat take off his shoes and the socks he was wearing.

There was a shopping bag sitting beside the reading station and from it Pat pulled a new pair of socks. They kind of resembled a pair of grey wool socks, looking large and warm and not something that you would wear inside of shoes. They had fur on the top of them and Johnny wondered if they were fur lined.

Pat suddenly looked up and found Johnny watching him with a cocked eyebrow.

"What?"

"What are those?" Johnny asked.

"What?" Pat looked confused.

"Those," Johnny walked forward, gesturing at Pat's feet.

"Oh! You mean the reading socks." Pat exclaimed.

"The what?"

"Reading socks," Pat said again. "They're socks you wear when you're reading."

Johnny couldn't help himself and he started laughing.

Pat looked hurt but Johnny couldn't stop laughing.

After a minute however, Pat also started laughing also. He pulled Johnny down onto the chair with him. "I guess this kind of got out of hand didn't it?"

Johnny nodded, trying to catch his breath.

Pat reached down and from the bag pulled out another pair of reading socks. These ones were red with a white maple leaf stitched into the toes. "I got you a pair also." He said and the statement just set Johnny off again.

Finally they both managed to stop laughing and they were both curled up on the easy chair.

"I'll get rid of this stuff tomorrow," Pat murmured leaning back against Johnny.

Who had reached over to snag Pat forgotten tea cup.

"No, it's okay. Just how about no more gimmicks?"

"Okay," Pat nodded. Johnny took a drink of the tea, which was not actual half bad. "What flavour is this?" He asked and settled back as Pat went on a long winded description of the tea


End file.
